EarlyChildhood 2025

Amalia Cabezas

My name is Amalia Cabezas, I am 21 years old and I live in the city of Concepción, Chile. I am in my fourth year of Early Childhood Education at the University of Concepción. I consider myself a proactive, resolute and self-sufficient woman.

I participated in the national tutoring plan, I’m on the college’s artistic gymnastics selection, and I created a candy venture in 2020, which helped me develop skills such as organization and discipline.

In addition, I was a Scout for seven years, during which I learned to work as a team, to listen and respect others, and to help whenever needed. Currently I speak 4 languages, these being Spanish, French, English and German. This is because I went to a trilingual school, and because of my passion for discovering new cultures.

I think I will be a great contribution to Minnetonka because I intend to share with the children, with who are in my charge in the city and in the educational establishment, to make known the most important elements of Chilean culture, and to make known my skills. And I would love to perform my professional practice in Minnetonka to learn about their teaching strategies, culture, and education policies.

Romina Hernández

My name is Romina Hernández and I’m 23 years old. I’m in the 4th year of my Early Childhood Education Degree. I live with my parents and my dog. My favorite hobbies are cooking, dancing, reading and doing crafts. I define myself as someone with a very positive mindset, proactive and responsible. One of my biggest strengths are my soft skills and my creativity.

I’m applying for this scholarship because I would like to extend my personal and academic goals, as I have a great interest in learning about the curricular and work areas implemented in Minnetonka, as well as learning about the lifestyle and culture. I consider myself a very curious person, so my interests related to the area of pedagogy include innovation and research into different teaching methodologies and strategies.

Another aspect that I’m excited about this exchange is the possibility of being part of an environment in which I can learn from the educational community and educators. I have extensive knowledge of my culture and history and I would like to contribute by sharing my experiences and traditions to promote cultural exchange. I am convinced that this experience will give me tools for my teaching practices and will have a significant impact on my personal life and in my professional field.

Carolina Contreras

My name is Carolina Marianeth Contreras Aguayo i am a student in the early childhood education at the University of Concepción. I am 22 years old and live in the commune of Coronel in Concepción.

I consider myself a person who adapts easily to any context, as I have been through many changes of home. For example, the last move (and the biggest in my opinion) to move from my city, where I had lived for over 20 years. When I was 19 years old, I opened my own shop selling handmade hair accessories.

This has helped me develop my social, organizational, and creative skills. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, reading books, and spending time with my family and my cat.

I believe that participating in this program in Minnetonka is a great opportunity that will contribute to my personal and professional development. This will allow me to learn about your culture, teaching methodologies, and educational systems that are new to me. Additionally, with this opportunity, I will be able to share about my country, Chile, including its gastronomy, dances, and language.